BSD City, 13 October 2025 —The report by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) 2024 shows that Asia remains the world’s primary hub for the robotics market, accounting for 74 percent of total new installations. In comparison, Europe accounts for 16 percent and the Americas for 9 percent. This data underscores Asia’s dominance in the global robotics industry. In its efforts to foster the development of Indonesia’s young generation in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI), Sinar Mas Land through Digital Hub supports the 11th Kontes Robot Nusantara (KRON) 2025, held on October 12, 2025 at the Garuda Hall, ICE BSD City. With the theme “Rise of the Ocean Generation: Youth, Unity, and AI Robotics”, KRON 2025 symbolizes a new wave of youth-led innovation, combining unity, creativity, and the power of AI to address global challenges through technology. The event attracted more than 1,000 participants from Indonesia and across Southeast Asia.
Since its inception in 2013, KRON has grown from a national contest into a major Asia-level robotics and AI championship, attracting participants from countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore. The competition has connected thousands of students from primary to secondary levels with real-world technology experiences and has fostered a strong interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education. KRON does not only foster a healthy spirit of competition but also underscores the importance of collaboration among academia, industry, and the technology community in nurturing a new generation ready to drive Indonesia’s digital transformation and economic growth.
Irawan Harahap, CEO of Digital Tech Ecosystem & Development Sinar Mas Land stated, “Through Digital Hub, Sinar Mas Land continues to strengthen an innovation ecosystem that bridges students, academics, industries, and communities. Competitions like the KRON embody our vision of collaboration and creativity in advancing the fields of AI and robotics are shaping the future of Indonesia and the region. The robotics industry across Asia has shown remarkable acceleration, and today’s young talents stand at the forefront of this transformation. By investing in innovation infrastructure and nurturing youth competence, we are planting the seeds for a more competitive and sustainable future.”
Firdiansyah, M.IT, Chairman of Indonesia Youth Robot Federation said, “KRON has evolved from a competition into a movement that unites students, educators, and innovators from across Asia. Through this event, participants do not only compete but also learn, network, and innovate together to tackle the technological challenges of the future. More than just a platform for exploring robotics and artificial intelligence, KRON serves as a gateway for Indonesian talent to shine on the international stage. With the support of Sinar Mas Land through Digital Hub, we are proud to strengthen Indonesia’s position as a regional center for robotics and AI in education. Together with all stakeholders, we aim to nurture a generation of young Indonesians who are not only technically skilled but also adaptive, creative, and ready to compete on the global stage.”
KRON 2025 featured a wide range of competition categories designed to test participants’ creativity, technical skills, and problem-solving abilities, including Drone Soccer, Robot Theater, Brick Speed AI Coding Creative, Coding Mission, Game Design & AI Project, Road Challenge, Humanoid Mission, Sumo Rumble, Kinder Mission, and 2 on 2 Soccer. All of these categories are recognized as official qualification rounds for international robotics competitions. Beyond the main competition, KRON 2025 also presented a series of flagship programs, including the Nusantara Roadshow (a nationwide pre-event series), STEM & AI workshops and seminars, an Education Conference featuring academic and industry leaders, the STEM Leader Award 2025 honoring outstanding educators and innovators, a Coding & Robotic Bootcamp for students and mentors, and a Maker Expo showcasing student and startup innovation projects.
The event was further enriched by discussions and forums featuring notable speakers such as Firdiansyah of IYRF Indonesia; Philip Tan, CEO of MY ROBOT Worldwide and Vice President of IYRA World; Dr. Kwon Alex Heechon, Chairman of the National Association of Cognitive Science Industry; Satria Fahmi, world champion in humanoid robotics; Asha Wadya Saelan, an expert in industrial drone applications; Dr. Agus Mulyana, who spoke on applied AI for industry; and Aji Endro Cahyono, who shared insights on AI-driven education.
The collaborative spirit of the KRON 2025 aligns with Sinar Mas Land’s efforts to build an innovative ecosystem in Indonesia, which has been pursued since 2016 through digital transformation and the development of key areas such as the Digital Hub in BSD City. Since its establishment in 2016, the Digital Hub has evolved into a center for innovation that integrates startups, multinational companies, academic institutions, and stakeholders from the technology, healthcare, and education sectors. Today, the Digital Hub is transforming into a business enabler, designed to support investment from both local and international players across various Sinar Mas Land projects in Indonesia. Surrounded by innovation centers such as Digital Hub, Techpolitan, and leading educational institutions, BSD City offers a vibrant environment that fosters both learning and career development.
